'Taliban chief Mullah Omar is dead,' Afghan govt confirms

Taliban chief Mullah Omar is dead, the Afghan government announced tonight, "confirming" reports about the one-eyed extremist leader who ruled the country with an iron fist between 1996 and 2001.

"The government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, based on credible information, confirms that Mullah Mohammad

Omar, leader of the Taliban died in April 2013 in Pakistan," a statement issued by the office of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said.

"The government of Afghanistan believes that grounds for the Afghan peace talks are more paved now than before, and thus calls on all armed opposition groups to seize the opportunity and join the peace process," the statement added.

There is no statement from Taliban on it.

The Taliban leader, carrying a reward of USD 10 million (Rs 63 crore) on his head, had been hiding following the ouster of his government in 2001 by US-led forces. 

It was Omar's backing for Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks that sparked the US-led campaign in Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, media reports citing Afghan government and intelligence sources, said that Omar had died two to three years ago. According to some reports, Omar was buried in Afghanistan. 

There have been several reports of Omar's death in the past. Earlier this month, the Taliban had issued Omar's message on the eve of Eid in which he had hailed as "legitimate" the July 7 peace talks between his group and the Afghan government aimed at ending 13-year war in Afghanistan.   

The latest report comes just two days before the second round of the landmark peace talks scheduled in Pakistan's hill resort of Murree where the first round was held on July 7. 

Photograph: Reuters